Usha Tewari has two full-time jobs, but she only gets paid for one of them.
Thats when I realized I cant depend on other people.
I have to figure it out myself.
With help from her friend Peggy Gustave, left, Usha helps her mother take a stroll around their neighborhood in Orlando. Living downtown lets Usha be close to her job. Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…
I basically had no choice but to learn how to balance my work and taking care of her.
General Mills, for instance, addedtwo weeks of paid leave for family caregiversto its benefits plan.
So review your employers policies before you jump in the conversation.
One resource for caregivers is an employee assistance program, a company intervention program.
Singleton tried to use her time off intermittently that year to care for her mom.
Singleton was told she could either resign or be fired if she missed any more work.
Knowing her mom didnt have long to live, she chose the latter.
It was a really big kick in the teeth while I was down, says Singleton.
I was losing my mom, and I was going to lose my profession.
The first is location.
Tewari also chose an apartment complex that has security personnel on duty.
Ive had to do that in one or two instances.
Second, Tewari hired a caregiver to bathe her mom and help prepare food.
The caregiver charges $14 per hour and comes over twice a week for a total of 10 hours.
Thats all I could afford at this time, Tewari says.
And finally, when she cant find help elsewhere, Tewari relies on technology.
I have a camera installed, she says.
Theres quite a few of them who are taking care of their own parents, she notes.
In retrospect, Singleton wishes that she had negotiated with her employer immediately after her moms diagnosis.
Caregivers frequently take a year to start asking for help, Singleton says.
When someone goes out on maternity leave, its pretty obvious theyre having a child, Dolan says.
But when you have a sick parent, thats not always obvious.
You have to build the trust on both ends.
Tewari prioritizes her health by working out when she can.
I used to exercise a lot now thats been cut drastically.
Among its resources is thissite that searches for elder care optionsby zip code or service.
Family Caregiver Alliance:This nonprofit provides connections organized by ailment through the sitesFamily Caregiver Navigator.
Also offers search options for support programs and legal resources.
Alzheimers Association Community Resource Finder:Search forAlzheimer-specific community programsby zip code.
Tiffany Wendeln Connors is a staff writer/editor at The Penny Hoarder.
Readher bio and other work here, then catch her on Twitter @TiffanyWendeln.
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